


An Anniversary

by B_Rated



Category: Naruto
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 06:45:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18987397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Rated/pseuds/B_Rated
Summary: Iruka lies to the Hokage and desperately needs Kakashi's help.





	An Anniversary

**Author's Note:**

  * For [decaf_kitty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/decaf_kitty/gifts).



Iruka had made a terrible mistake. Not just to lie to the Hokage but to lie about that! And the way she had looked at him! This was the lowest he'd felt in awhile, desperately searching the village for the silver-haired copy-nin to find him before Tsunade did.

"Kakashi-san!" He was in luck. The jounin was hanging out in a tree reading his filthy book.

"Hm?" Kakashi looked away from his pages to find who was interrupting him. "Oh hello."

"I need to talk to you," Iruka was in a panic. How did he tell him what had he had just done?

"You do seem a little off, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi agreed, sighing as he put his book away. "Did Naruto do something?" He landed from the tree where Iruka had turned, expecting him to drop down.

The teacher shook his head. "No. It's not Naruto. I um… I need your help."

"Oh? With what?" Kakashi was clearly confused and for good reason, something like this never happened.

"I- I lied to Tsunade-sama today… to get out of having to do a weekend exercise with the pre-genin."

That raised Kakashi's interest. "That seems very unlike you, Iruka-sensei."

"I know!" Iruka let out a stressed groan. "I just- with all the exams and the missions- I needed a break!"

"Alright, alright," Kakashi waved, using very minimal effort to try and calm him. "What do you need my help for then?"

"Well…" Iruka became sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. "I told Tsunade-sama I couldn't supervise this weekend because… it's our anniversary."

Kakashi was perplexed but not for long. "Ah."

"I'm sorry!" Iruka bowed his head with his hands out, pleading. "I couldn't think of a good reason and you are the only person I know who would be at all believable!"

Kakashi leaned back, thinking. "It's very wrong to tell lies, sensei."

"I know! Just- please help me, Kakashi-san! I just wanted a peaceful weekend."

"I do understand that," Kakashi nodded. He sighed and shrugged. "Alright, Iruka-sensei, I'll help you."

Iruka stood upright again. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"So how long have we been dating?" Kakashi asked curiously. 

***

"A year then," Iruka agreed after they went back and forth for awhile. Eventually they had decided to start walking, though based on the fact that it was towards a yakitori vendor it must have been because Kakashi had skipped lunch.

"It's a milestone worthy of missing a mission for," Kakashi agreed, handing over the coin. 

Iruka was surprised when one stick was passed to him as they started walking again. "Oh. Uh thank you."

Kakashi just nodded.

"It's not a mission though," Iruka corrected after some time. "It's just a training exercise. The other teachers can handle it."

"Hn," Kakashi only hummed.

Iruka hadn't skipped lunch. He had eaten while his students were in the school yard, running and playing off their own lunches. They had so much energy, it made him feel old sometimes. He wasn't one to turn away food that had been gifted to him though, so he ate while they continued their stroll, not really sure where they were going now.

"Are you going to follow me all the way home?" Kakashi asked, coming to a stop and pointing a thumb to the building he'd turned his back to. 

Iruka nearly jumped. "Ah no. Sorry! I was just- Thank you for agreeing to help me, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi nodded again. "So I'll pick you up tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow?"

"For our one year anniversary celebration." He held his chin in thought a moment, "wonder what I planned…"

"Kakashi-san, I just wanted a quiet weekend," Iruka shook his head. "That's why I told Tsunade-sama-"

"But if you or I are seen around the village tomorrow not together and she happens to find out about it… Just think of all the pre-genin training exercises in your future."

Iruka's heart sank, beginning to realize the consequences of his lie going deeper than anticipated. He had been trying to get a stress free weekend, instead he'd assured the opposite. "I-... I'll see you tomorrow."

***

"The hot springs?" Iruka was pleasantly surprised discovering what Kakashi's plan for a fake anniversary entailed.

"It seemed fitting," Kakashi shrugged. "But I had to pay extra for booking last minute."

"Oh," Iruka looked over at him. "I can pay you back-"

"Don't worry about it, sensei. Just enjoy your relaxing weekend," he laughed a little with his eye closed, smiling.

Ichiraku Ramen was really all Iruka had expected for this outing. After all they weren't really dating. He hadn't planned on trying to act like they were in front of anyone other than Tsunade. But here they were, walking out of a single suite with matching robes on their way to the onsen. Kakashi had put a lot of thought into this. 

It made him wonder if he had thought of it awhile ago. "How did you know I like the hot springs?"

"You do?" Kakashi asked, not looking over. "What a convenient cover then."

"I can't tell if you're being serious or not."

"Well! Look who's here!" Tsunade had rounded the corner of the hall, donning her own resort robe, her hands on her hips. "I told you we'd find the love-birds here, Shizune."

"Lady Tsunade! How did you-" Iruka was struggling with what to do. He knew his lie had been less than convincing, standing in her office making things up as he went, but Kakashi had just told him this morning where they were going.

"I asked around. As the Hokage I can do that," she leaned closer. "And imagine my surprise to find your sweet Kakashi had only made his reservation this morning. Must not be a big anniversary hm?"

Before Iruka could answer Kakashi was laughing tensely, reaching for the back of his head. "You caught me… I forgot all about it. When Iruka reminded me it's been a year I had to make sure it was special… Please don't be too mad at me." He directed the last bit at Iruka who was still struggling with what face to make to keep this lie going.

Then he caught it. "You forgot?" He spoke like he was talking to a problem student. "We talked about it a month ago."

"A lot happens in a month…"

Iruka sighed and stepped back. He rolled his eyes dramatically and crossed his arms. "Fine. At least you were able to do something special right?"

"Of course. Did you think I was just going to treat you to ramen?" Kakashi swayed a little and went to pass the Hokage standing in the middle of the hall, watching them closely.

Iruka took his lead laughing before waving at her. "Enjoy the hot spring, Tsunade-sama."

***

Iruka sighed happily sinking into the water. At least the male and female baths were divided. They didn't have to keep up the act in here. It was also surprisingly empty for a weekend afternoon. Maybe more people would show up towards the end of the day.

Kakashi was at the far end of the bath, facing the door with a washcloth covering the lower half of his face. Iruka wasn’t at all surprised when Kakashi walked out of the changing room with his crafted cover. 

He heard him sit up in the water and looked over to see Kakashi staring at the door. “Wha-” Was all Iruka got out before throwing his hand up to shield his eyes, face turning redder than what is was from the heat of the water.”Lady Tsunade!”

“Do you two always keep such distance, even with no one around?” She asked instead sighing as she climbed down into the hot spring.

“I-I-” Iruka was still trying not to look at her.

“This is a public place,” Kakashi said back quickly. “It would be rude of us to be intimate in front of other guests.”

“There’s no one else here,” Tsunade reasoned. “Oh, sensei, put your hand down.”

He peeked through his fingers, thankful that she was completely covered by the water, still his face could not get redder.

“You’re right, Lady Tsunade,” Kakashi sighed with a defeated head tilt. He turned to Iruka, moving through the water to sit beside him. “Forgive me for ignoring you.”

“I- I-It’s fine,” Iruka said quickly. “I like space.” He was suddenly uncomfortable and very aware of his personal space.

“Your anniversary is hardly a time for space,” Tsunade said smartly. “It’s almost as if you two weren’t actually dating.” Her voice took a harsher tone, staring at Iruka, making him nearly shrink into the water.

“You’re panicking,” Kakashi’s voice was quiet against his ear. “She’s testing you and you’re failing.”

He was right. It was so obvious. 

So he did the only thing he could think of, moving the washcloth on Kakashi’s face and forcing his mouth to his, surprising them both. 

Somewhere in the middle of it he remembered he had to close his eyes to make it a real kiss, and that he had to not be so tense. Couples, real couples, ones that were on a hot spring retreat for their one year anniversary wouldn’t kiss like sticks being forced together. He was in it now, committed to this, and when Kakashi kissed back he started to realize just how long it had been since he had last kissed someone. How long had it been since someone else’s tongue had been in his mouth?

Kakashi’s tongue was in his mouth!

Iruka snapped back to reality, moving away, red faced again, Kakashi too this time. They stared at each other, a loss for words.

Tsunade sighed. “I thought you’d been lying to me, Iruka-sensei. I suppose I owe you both an apology.” The water moved as she left, neither of the shinobi looking up. “Enjoy your anniversary.”

It was after the door closed that Iruka broke. “That was real?”

“That was real…” Kakashi agreed. 

The two of them blinked and sat back against the edge of the onsen staring off at the opposite wall, silence becoming a thick wall between them. 

It went on a long time, neither of them sure what to say, or if they should say anything at all.

***

Iruka was laying out his futon for the night. He looked over to see Kakashi already on his, the orange book sitting on his chest instead of in his hands as he stared at the ceiling. Iruka sighed, sitting on his sleeping mat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that…”

Kakashi lowered his chin to look at him. “But you did… and I did…”

Iruka looked down at his hands folded in his lap. “What if…” He shook his head. It was silly. He didn’t have a crush on Kakashi. The man was a jonin, he was Naruto’s team captain, he had only talked to him what- five times? Well no, more than that. 

Kakashi was always in the mission room, turning in assignments, sitting with other jonin, of course they talked sometimes. And whenever they ran into one another in the halls of the Tower, or on the street. Occasionally Team 7 would be out for ramen the same time as him as well. 

He was always happy when he saw him. Iruka just liked knowing he was safe, he was home.

“... we dated?” The silence suddenly became a void he had to fill. “Between missions and the academy I know we’re both busy so it wouldn’t have to be more than we see each other now or anything. We could just-”

“Iruka,” Kakashi sat up on his mat, setting his book aside.

Iruka waited expectantly.

The copy nin closed his eyes smiling. “Happy anniversary.”

Iruka was about to ask what he meant but then it all clicked in his head. He smiled back, nodding. “Happy, anniversary.”

FIN


End file.
